Chongsheng Temple and Three Pagodas Cultural Tourism Area lies about 1.5 kilometres north of Dali Ancient Town, nestled at the eastern foot of Cangshan Mountain and overlooking Erhai Lake in Yunnan Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and one of China’s first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.
This site served as the royal Buddhist temple for the Nanzhao Kingdom and Dali Kingdom over one thousand years ago. The Three Pagodas are the most precious surviving heritage. The main Qianxun Pagoda, 69.13 meters high, is a 16-storey multi-eaved hollow brick tower erected in the Tang Dynasty. The two smaller octagonal pagodas on the north and south sides, each 42.19 meters tall, were constructed during the Dali Kingdom in the Song Dynasty. Amazingly, these pagodas have endured multiple severe earthquakes and still stand firm.
The temple complex was largely reconstructed in modern times, while the three ancient pagodas remain intact. Behind the pagodas, the Reflection Park features Juying Pond, where visitors can capture the famous mirrored image of the three pagodas. On the screen wall are four Chinese characters “Yong Zhen Shan Chuan”, meaning “Eternally guarding mountains and rivers”. It is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese Buddhist architecture and a spiritual landmark of Dali’s Bai culture.